Does Having Diabetes Make You Tired

Differences Between Participants And Nonparticipants

There was no significant difference on the mean scores on the SFQ between participants and nonparticipants completing questionnaires. Nonparticipants, including nonresponders, did not differ significantly from participants on sex . Participants and nonparticipants did differ significantly from each other on age and HbA1c. Participants were older , participants had lower HbA1c values , and their latest HbA1c was measured more recently compared with nonparticipants. The mean age of nonparticipants was 43.6 years, mean HbA1c values were 8.6 , and HbA1c was measured 8 months previously .

Tired All The Time Heres Why

Ever wonder if your diabetes can cause fatigue? Sure we all experience fatigue from time to time, especially after exerting ourselves too much. But if youre constantly mentally or physically tired, your diabetes may have something to do with it. Diabetes Fatigue Syndrome is a condition commonly seen in people with diabetes. It can affect your ability to do daily tasks and manage your disease properly. Left untreated, fatigue will wreak havoc on your quality of life too.

When To Speak To Your Healthcare Team About Fatigue

If you are experiencing regular fatigue you should speak to your healthcare team. They may want to look at your medications and they will usually have some tips on how to cope.

The team will also be able to offer medical advice on whether the extreme tiredness is a sign of something more serious, such as diabetes complications.

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Find Out The Root Cause

Always monitor your blood sugar levels to find the exact root cause of your weakness is it low sugar or high sugar? This is because the management of hypoglycemia and hyperglycemia is quite different.

Hypoglycemia involves immediate action by taking glucose water or a fruit and then measuring blood sugar level again after 15 minutes. This action is repeated until the blood sugar level is >100 mg/dl.

Hyperglycemia involves long-term management through proper diet, regular exercise and timely medicine intake along with management of stress.

Changes In Blood Sugar Levels

Diabetes affects the way the body regulates and uses blood sugar.

When a person eats, the body breaks down food into simple sugars, or glucose. In people with diabetes, the pancreas does not produce enough insulin, or the body does not use insulin effectively. Cells need insulin to absorb glucose from the blood.

If the cells do not take in enough glucose, it can build up in the blood. The cells need glucose to provide energy.

Fatigue and weakness might result when the cells do not get enough glucose. Diabetes medications, such as insulin or metformin, help more of this sugar to move into the cells and prevent it from building to harmful levels in the blood.

A potential side effect of diabetes medications is low blood sugar, or hypoglycemia.

Low blood sugar can also cause fatigue, especially in people who do not get enough warning that their blood sugars levels are dropping. A person can also feel fatigued after treatment of low blood sugar.

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Know Transitions Can Be Hard

Change can be a challenge for anyone. Going through it while you manage your diabetes can be really tough.

Heading to college, being diagnosed with a complication, and trying a new treatment are types of adjustments that can bring worry, McAuliffe-Fogarty says.

To ease stress, try to anticipate and prepare for big changes in your life. Thatâll lessen the impact on how you manage your diabetes.

What Are The Other Causes Of Fatigue

For a diabetic, tiredness and fatigue are mostly due to fluctuations in blood sugar levels but sometimes there can be other reason like the ones mentioned below:

• Lack of sleep
• Intake of too much caffeine
• Certain medicines
• Medical conditions like anaemia, hypothyroidism, arthritis etc
• Increased inflammation in the body

I hope you are feeling satisfied after knowing what is causing you to become tired all this time. Now even you can tell everyone around you why diabetics are tired throughout the day or after waking up.

Before concluding the blog, I will suggest you know one more important aspect of feeling tired or sleepy all the time with diabetes and that is when you should consult your Doctor.

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What Causes Fatigue In Prediabetes

Chronic tiredness or fatigue is more than just feeling a bit weary. If you are struggling to get up in the morning; feeling a total lack of energy or fogginess or not able to perform the tasks you normally do as simply too exhausted it may be that you actually are suffering from fatigue… and it could be a side effect of your diabetes.

Although diabetes medications generally do not result in symptoms, fluctuations in blood sugars can definitely have an effect.

It is always a good idea to check with your doctor if you are feeling fatigued as it could be a number of other health problems such as anaemia; cancer; coeliac disease; vitamin B12 deficiency; low testosterone levels, kidney disease, thyroid issues or even as a consequence of depression.

Fatigue can occur for many reasons but here are 3 important ones to consider:

• Poor blood circulation which results in less oxygen and energy supply to the brain
• Longterm inflammation in the body so effectively the body is at war and the brain is sent messages that the body needs to rest and repair itself.
• Complications such as kidney disease where there is red cell damage and less oxygen in the body.

Fatigue in prediabetes is common and occurs for a number of reasons. High and low blood sugars can cause tiredness so it is important to check your sugars when feeling like this to try and get a clearer picture of the cause.

Do Blood Sugar Levels Make A Person With Diabetes Tired

Blood sugar levels can definitely make someone tired. If blood sugar levels are too high or too low, the body is not able to operate 100% like it should and it can wear the body down. Also, having to chase blood sugar with insulin and battle to keep it under control is very tiring. One study found that 29% of people with diabetes said fatigue was caused by adjusting insulin dosages and 23% percent said that it was caused by stress from managing their disease.

Hypoglycemia, which is low blood sugar, can cause fatigue because it deprives the brain and other organs of fuel and oxygen to work properly. If blood sugar gets too low, then it can cause major problems such as confusion or even seizures.

Hyperglycemia, which is blood sugar that is too high, can cause fatigue because the blood carrying the fuel to the organs is like maple syrup instead of water. When it takes longer for the cells to reach their destination, the body is tired and worn out.

Think of Goldilocks and the Three Bears. She didnt like the porridge too cold or too hot, it had to be just right in the middle. Blood sugar is the same way. The body operates best when it stays in the target range.

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How Can You Fight Diabetes Fatigue

You want to lead a normal life and diabetes fatigue does not enable you to do so. As such, you will need to take all the necessary steps to fight tiredness and fatigue in diabetes. The following are some of the ways of achieving the same:

• Blood glucose monitoring is the most important way in which you can achieve diabetes management.As seen above, both high and low blood glucose levels lead to fatigues.
• Another important way of managing fatigue effectively is eating the right type of diet as may have been prescribed by your doctor.
• Exercising plays a great role in managing your blood glucose levels, and thereby diabetes fatigue and sleepiness. Physical activity reduces fatigue by as much as 65 percent.
• Also, vitamin D is good for your body and as such, you need to step out in the sun
• Walk after you have had a heavy meal
• You can also take small naps in between
• Make walking a daily habit. Walk as much as you can even if it is in your house.
• Keep yourself free from stress
• Meditate as much as you can
• Sleep for at least six to eight hours a day
• Stay optimistic and positive

It is also important for you to remember that there are various other reasons that can lead to a feeling of fatigue and tiredness in your body. Hence, the changes in your diet, exercise regime, insulin dose, medication, etc. should be made only after careful analyses and considerations of the following:

Symptoms Develop Gradually With Type 2 Diabetes

The symptoms of type 2 diabetes develop graduallyso gradually, in fact, that its possible to miss them or to not connect them as related symptoms.;Some people are actually surprised when they are diagnosed with type 2 diabetes because theyve gone to the doctor for something else .

If youre not insulin resistantand instead your body doesnt produce enough insulin to process glucose wellthe symptoms also develop gradually.;Your body will be able to make do with lower insulin levels for awhile, but eventually, you will start to notice the following symptoms.

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Does Diabetes Make You Tired

Blurred vision and frequent thirst are some of the most common symptoms of;diabetes, but sometimes, people who have diabetes feel extremely tired. Then here comes the question: Can;diabetes make you tired? Also, what could be the reasons if your diabetes is making you feel tired? Let’s find out more.

Do Not Skip Your Meal

People on insulin or medicine must never skip a meal after taking insulin/ medicine. This is because it may also result in hypoglycemia and hence can cause severe weakness.

Always talk to your doctor for further evaluation and make sure to eat small meals every 23 hours in order to keep blood sugar levels under control.

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Why Sleep Is Important For People With Diabetes

When you are getting enough sleep, you may find that you have an easier time controlling your blood sugar. Youll be more alert during the day, have more energy, less stress, and an overall better mindset for monitoring and managing your diabetes.

Consider what happens when you dont get enough sleep. In addition to other things that may interfere with your sleep like schedule changes or stress, people with diabetes can have potential complications with sleep. Both high and low blood sugar levels can interrupt your sleep. People with type 2 diabetes who dont get a good nights sleep may me more insulin resistant and have a harder time controlling blood sugar levels.;Sleep apnea is also common in people with type 2 diabetes, and neuropathy can cause leg pain that keeps you awake.

The good news: its entirely possible to control these things and get a long, healthy night of rest. With that in mind, here are some tips for getting to sleep.

8 helpful tips for getting a good nights sleep

How Do I Treat Diabetes

Improve your lifestyle: Making changes in your day to day life can help reduce fatigue. Here are some lifestyle changes to consider:

• Lose some weight or maintain a healthy weight
• Engage in moderate to vigorous exercise multiple times a week
• Make healthy food choices
• Limit stress as much as possible and find ways to unwind
• Develop good sleep habits, such as regular bedtimes and no screen time at night

Manage your blood sugar levels: Monitoring your blood sugar levels regularly will ensure youre not experiencing the highs and lows that will negatively impact your sleep.

Seek professional advice: Be sure to check in with your diabetes healthcare provider to help you monitor your diabetes and determine if there are underlying conditions that could be contributing to fatigue.

Remember that feeling fatigue on occasions is normal when you have diabetes, but feeling exhausted all the time is not. Getting to the bottom of the issues contributing to your fatigue will mean you can get on top of staying healthy.

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Diabetes And Sleep: A Vicious Cycle

The relationship between diabetes and sleep is complicated, and experts still have a lot to learn about how the whole thing works. What they do know? How much sleep you get could play a role in whether you develop type 2 diabetes in the first place.

First, theres the growing connection between sleep and obesity. Being overweight is a major risk factor for type 2 diabetes. Whats more, evidence shows;that there are several ways that skimping on sleep could lead to weight gain:

• When youre zonked, you dont have the energy to exercise.Research suggestsVerified SourceAmerican Academy of Sleep MedicineSociety focused on sleep medicine and disorders, and the AASM is who authorizes U.S. sleep medicine facilities.View sourcethat people who stay up late spend more time sitting than people who wake up early.
• Feeling tired means youre less likely to make healthy food choices, too. When youre exhausted, pizza or takeout just feel easier than a big kale salad.
• Staying up late means more time to eat. People who stay up into the wee hours at night have been found to eat 550 more calories than those who go to bed early.
• Lack of sleep messes with your hormones. Sleep deprivation causes your body to pump out more of the stress hormone cortisol, which is linked to weight gain. Youre also flooded with more of the appetite-stimulating hormone ghrelin.

Diabetes And Fatigue: Everything You Need To Know

What exactly is fatigue? Is it just being tired after working a long week or not getting enough sleep?

The answer is no.

Fatigue is excessive tiredness that makes carrying out simple tasks difficult and interferes with one or more life functions. Sounds terrible, doesnt it? Well imagine having a chronic illness along with the fatigue. Diabetes and fatigue have a strong relationship, and it can make a persons life very difficult. The following article will discuss the relationship, along with ways to beat and reduce the risk of living with diabetes and fatigue.

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Pay Attention To What Stresses You Out

Living with diabetes can cause fear, anger, worry, and sadness.

Lawrence Fisher, PhD, director of the Behavioral Diabetes Research Group at the UCSF School of Medicine, has studied what doctors call âdiabetes distressâ in people with type 1 and those with type 2 diabetes. He learned that during any 18-month period, from a third to a half of people with diabetes will feel a good bit of it.

He cites seven common sources of diabetes distress among people with type 1 diabetes. The most common is a feeling of helplessness.

âThe numbers have a life of their own. They go up. They go down. Youâre constantly making adjustments,â Fisher says. âThereâs a feeling of powerlessness that is really hard to tolerate.â

Other common sources of diabetes distress among people with type 1 diabetes include:

• Worry about what those around them assume
• Concern about access to good health care
• Perceived lack of support from family or friends, or feeling like theyâre the âdiabetes policeâ
• Fear of dangerously low blood sugar
• Stress over managing blood sugar levels
• Bother over what to eat and when

Fisher says people with diabetes should pay attention to what stresses them out and try to address those things. He suggests programs or workshops that focus on what gets you down.

âThere are things you can do,â he says.

Paying attention to what gets to you about your diabetes is important. The less spun-out you are, the better youâll be able to manage your disease.

High Blood Sugar Causes Fatigue

Fatigue is one of the most common symptoms of high blood sugar. In people with diabetes, it is referred to as diabetes fatigue. Many people with the condition feel tired all the time regardless of how well they sleep, how healthily they eat, or how much they exercise on a regular basis. Research has shown that up to 61% of people who are recently diagnosed with the condition experience fatigue. However, fatigue doesnt just occur in those with diabetes. It can also happen in people with normal or prediabetic blood sugar levels if they experience a sudden spike in their blood sugar.

When the body experiences a spike in blood sugar levels, it goes into overdrive trying to create enough insulin to balance it out. If there isnt enough insulin or the body isnt responding to the insulin as it should, your body will start to pull from fat to create the energy it needs. When this happens, energy is used from the splitting of a molecule known as adenosine triphosphate, or ATP. When ATP expels one of its three phosphates for energy, it turns into another molecule known as adenosine diphosphate, or ADP. If there are no energy sources to pull from, the ATP cannot regain the phosphate it gave away, leading to fatigue.

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